Gas-blanketed electro-surgical device



April 1, 1958 w. AUGUST 2,828,747

GAS-BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL "DEVICE Filed Dec. 6, 1952 A {(II IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IN V EN TOR. ML 1. 09/? flaw/5 7 2a BY United States Patent GAS-BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE William August, Arcadia, Calif., assignor to The Birtcher Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application December 6, 1952, Serial No. 324,514

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-30314) This invention relates to an improved gas-blanketed electro-surgical device.

An object of this invention is to provide a surgical instrument wherein the cutting action is produced by energizing the instrument with a high frequency current of appropriate characteristics.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a surgical instrument adapted to be energized by a high frequency current which may be safely utilized in an explosive atmosphere, such as created by many anaesthetics without danger of explosion.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a surgical instrument of this type which is easily disassembled to permit replacing or sterilization of the cutting instrument and other component elements.

A further object of this invention is to provide a surgical instrument of this type which is protected from causing an explosion in an explosive atmosphere without interfering with the easy manipulation and control of the instrument so vital in delicate surgery.

A further object of this invention is to provide a surgical instrument of this type wherein an envelope of inert gas is discharged from the instrument surrounding the cutting tool and wherein a rotary motion is imparted to said envelope to eliminate formation of voids therein.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a waterproof surgical instrument.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a surgical instrument embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the instrument.

Figure 3 is a section taken along line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken along line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the component elements of the cutting instrument retaining means.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the chuck means.

The cutting instrument generally designated 10 has in this embodiment, a ball 12 formed on the end thereof. and a shank 14. A blade, disk, needle or loop of wire may be substituted for the ball. The shank 14 telescopically fits into a recess formed in the tool holder 16, wherein it may be suitably secured, such as soldered therein. The tool holder telescopically fits into the tube 18. The tool holder 16 is formed of four wires twisted and soldered to provide spiral gas passages 20 between the holder 16 and the tube 18, as hereinafter will be described more fully. Gas passing through the passages is given a rotary movement to eliminate voids in the gas envelope discharged.

A head piece 21 has a bore 22 therein and screws onto the body 24. A chuck 26 fits into the bore 22 and receives the tube 18 in its jaws which are formed by providing longitudinal slots 28 in the chuck body. The head piece or handle 21 has a tapered shoulder 30 formed in the forward extremity thereof so that as the handle 21 is screwed onto the body 24 an inward pressure is applied 2,828,747 Patented Apr. 1, 1958' on the jaws of the chuck 26 which clamp upon the tube 18 and prevent its removal.

The tube 18 in turn is provided with an internal shoulder 32 which prevents the tool holder 16 from being withdrawn. Thus the device at this extremity is assembled and held in place by screwing the head piece or handle 21 onto the body 24.

The body 24 has a bore therethrough in which a tube 34 is telescopically received. At the forward extremity the tube 34 projects into the bore in chuck 26 and is brazed or otherwise suitably secured therein. The other extremity of the hollow tube 34 projects beyond the extremity of body 24. The body 24 is threaded to receive tail piece 36 which is screwed thereon. The tail piece has a bore 38 formed therein into which a coupling member 40 fits. This coupling member at its forward extremity has a tapered bore formed therein to receive the tapered extremity 42 of the tube 34.

The coupling member is provided with a shoulder 44 which bears against a flexible gas tube 46 which telescopically receives the tubular extension 48 of coupling member 40. The tail piece 36 is provided with an inwardly tapered shoulder 50 at its rearmost extremity restricting the bore to a diameter less than the diameter of shoulder 44. Thus when the gas tube is mounted upon extension 43 and tail piece 36 is screwed onto body 24 the shoulder 50 prevents disassembly and the tube 46 is clamped in place.

A spring 52 having its ends bent to project outwardly is provided, projecting into coupling member 40. The coupling member has a suitable recess 54 to receive the ends of the spring. An electrical conductor or wire 56 is suitably attached to the spring 52 inside gas tube 46 thereby providing a flexible electrical connection and at the same time a flexible union between gas tube 46 and the instrument.

in operation one lead of a source of high frequency current is connected to the wire 56 and the other lead to the patient. The wire 56 is in electrical contact with spring 52 which in turn contacts coupling member 40. The coupling member 40 is in contact with tube 34 which in turn is connected to the chuck 26. The chuck is in electrical contact with the tube 18 which in turn contacts the tool holding member 16, which lastly contacts the cutting instrument 10. When the cutting instrument then contacts the patient the circuit is completed and the desired cutting occurs.

It is necessary that all portions of the instrument be insulated and for this purpose the body 24, head piece 21, tail piece 36 and tube 46 are formed of a non-conducting material, such as Bakelite or hard rubber. These parts may be formed advantageously of machine or molded nylon impregnated with silicon varnish which is polymerized rendering the device impervious to water absorption when subjected to water or water vapor. In this manner all sources, except the cutting tool, of a spark are eliminated from the electrical circuit which otherwise might cause an explosion in an operating room containing explosive anaesthetics. To shield the cutting tool from the atmosphere an inert gas is forced under pressure through tube 46 and hence through the bore in coupling member 40 through tube 34 and through grooves 20 formed in tool holding member 16 and hence through tube 18 imparting rotary motion to the gas eliminating voids in the envelope. The tool holder 16 is held against the conducting tube 34 and is chamfered as best seen in Figure 5, to permit passage of gas from the tube 34 into tube 18 and avoid blocking of the passages 20 by the shoulder 32. The forward end of the tool holder may be tapered as best seen in Figure 5 to provide a venturi and insure even flow of gas and prevent disruption by flows of air currents,

a The gas is thus discharged enveloping the cutting tool 10 in an envelope of inert gas preventing any spark being caused by the cutting tool.

In this manner an electrical surgical instrument is formed which, when in operation, is completely safe. All parts of the electrical system are insulated from the explosive atmosphere which exists in an operating room.

While what hereinbefore has been described is the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is readily apparent that alterations and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such alterations and modifications are intended to be included within the annexed claims.

- I claim:

1'. In a gas-blanketed electro-surgical device of the type adapted to be connected to a source of inert gas under pressure and a source of high frequency current, the combination of: a gas and electricity conducting tube, a body member of electrically non-conductive material surrounding said conducting tube, means on said body securing said conducting tube to said gas source and said current source at one extremity thereof, a chuck attached to the other extremity of said conducting tube, a tube having inserted into said chuck an internal shoulder, a cutting instrument inserted into said tube and having means thereon engaging said shoulder and retaining said cutting instrument in said tube while permitting discharge of 7 gas through said tube, a headpiece of an electrically non-conductive material secured to said bodyrnember and closing said chuck upon said tube.

2; In a gas-blanketed electro-surgical device of the type adapted to be connected to a source of inert gas under pressure and a source of high frequency current the combination of: a gas and electricity conducting tube, a body member of electrically non-conductive material surrounding said conducting tube, means on said body securing said conducting tube to said gas source and said current source at one extremity thereof, a chuck attached to the other extremity of said conducting tube, a tube having inserted into said chuck an internal shoulder, cutting in strument having an externally grooved extremity and engaging said shoulder preventing passage out of said tube and a reduced extremity extending from said tube,

headpiece of an electrically non-conductive material secured to said body member and closing said chuck upon said tube.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said cutting instrument has spiral grooves formed therein to impart rotary movement to gas discharged from the device.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular body member, said tailpiece and headpiece are formed of nylon impregnated with silicon varnish and are polymerized rendering the device impervious to water absorption.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,932,258 Wappler Oct. 24, 1933 2,376,265 Meredith May 15, 1945 2,444,767 Cobean July 6, 1948 2,555,017 Tuthill May 29, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 170,598 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1934 811,682 France Ian. 23, 1937 

